Mentaru Institution
by Akira Chikara
Summary: When 15 year old male Daijiro fails to kill himself his older brother Daitaro sends him to a mental insitute where he meets 10 interesting people who call themselves the Akatsuki. Who are these strange people and why are they here?
1. Welcome to Mentaru Institution!

**Me: I know I'm in the middle of a few other stories, but what's a writer who doesn't jump around right? I do not own Naruto/Naruto ****Shippūden**** the only thing I own is my characters.**

**Welcome to Mentaru Institution!**

My hands shake as I bring the knife to my wrists; I hesitate closing my eyes as I take a deep breath. I reopen my eyes and move my hands, blood oozes from the cuts forming on my arms. I cut more and more, the water in the tub is turning red. Everything's getting fuzzy as I feel myself being pulled to unconsciousness, somewhere in the distance I hear someone banging on the door and yelling my name. I let myself sink to the bottom of the tub just as darkness is surrounding me I see my big brother he's saying something to me. I can't hear him. There are sirens and running feet, finally everything goes dark and I lose consciousness.

_I open my eyes. I'm standing in the dining room of the house. Everything's so dark in here, 'Did we lose power?' Lightning lights up the sky outside the window and thunder cracks, shaking the window panes. I hear, sobbing? I look under the table and sitting there with knees pulled up to the chest an arm around their body sits me. When I was younger, it's a younger version of me. I hear someone else talking. Ah, I'm on the phone. "Mommy, Daddy please come home! Please, I'm scared. Hurry home!" _

My eyes shoot open and I sit up fast, before falling back down again. My head explodes with pain and lights dance before my eyes. I hear something beeping; once my eyes refocus I slowly look around from where I'm laying. The room is white and the noise I heard is coming from a heart monitor beside the bed. 'Ah, I'm in a hospital. I didn't do it, I failed.' Something cold and wet slides down my face I go to wipe my tears, but stop when I see the white bandages stained red around my wrists. I lay there for a moment staring as the bandages get darker as the blood pours from the wounds on my arms.

I start sobbing and soon the sobs turn to screams. I'm ripping at the bandages making the wounds worse then they were before. My chest hurts and my throat aches. I keep scratching and screaming. Nurses and doctors run inside. They hold me down. I'm thrashing and jerking something sharp pierces my skin and I start to lose consciousness again. Just before everything goes dark I see my big brother standing in the doorway crying. 'He's crying. It's because of me, it's because I killed our parents. It's my fault, everything's my fault.'

_I open my eyes and this time I actually am my younger self. I hear footsteps and look up. My big brother crouches down and looks at me under the table. He's crying. His pretty brown eyes are red and puffy and his long dark brown hair which has fallen out of its ponytail does nothing to hide the salty trail down his cheeks. He takes his no rim glasses off his face and wipes his eyes before pushing them back in place and crawling under the table with me. He wraps me in his arms and I lay my head against his chest. Rocking me back and forth while rubbing comforting circles on my back he tells me something. I look up. "Mom and dad. They….they got in a car wreck. The car skidded on the water covering the street and they hit a tree. They're in heaven now."_

I open my eyes again to the beeping of a heart monitor. I try to sit up and find myself strapped to the bed. I struggle and wiggle and worm, but can't get out of it. I sigh and hear someone snoring from my left. I turn my head and see my big brother sitting in a chair with his glasses in his lap and his arms crossed over his chest. I study him. His dark brown hair that reaches his shoulders is pulled back in a messy ponytail and strands stick to his face. There are dark circles under his eyes and his usually tanned skin looks pale. There are those horrid salt trails down his face. His eyes flutter open and he rubs them as he begins to wake up. He jumps up knocking the chair over and making his glasses crash to the ground when he sees me watching him.

He starts crying again and runs over to me grabbing onto my left hand and squeezing it. "Daijiro! Why? Why did you do that?" He screams this at me and I just continue to stare at him. He brushes my short black hair out of my eyes exposing my ice blue eyes to the world. Something he knows I don't like. I shake my head making my hair fall back in place as I look through the strands and watch as his lips begin to quiver. He quickly turns around exposing his back to me and I hear him take a deep breath. He walks over to the chair picking it up and putting it back in place and then bends over for his glasses. He flops back down into the chair with a sigh. Rubbing his eyes with his hand he let's out a big breath and then looks up at me putting his glasses on.

"Once the doctors give you the all clear to leave, you're going to an institution. They can help you and the doctors recommend it." I shake my head frantically 'I don't want to go to a place for crazy people! I'm not crazy!' He sighs again and walks over to me pulling the sheets higher to cover my exposed chest. "Everything's already settled, they're setting up a room for you right now. We'll go straight there when the doctor's say its okay to leave." He kisses me on the forehead before slowly walking out the door. I watch him. I watch how his shoulders are slumped under his too big tan hoodie, and how his slow shuffling walk is causing his old worn out sneakers to squeak on the hard tile floors. When he disappears through the doors a nurse comes in. "Looks like you'll be getting out today! You've been asleep for four days! They say it's because of the stress!"

She continues talking in her happy chipper tone while she unhooks all the wires from my body. I can't say anything my voice isn't working; maybe it's better if I just don't talk anymore. Once she's done she sets my clothes on the chair my brother was sitting in ten minutes ago and walks out after giving me a cheery wave. I stand up slowly and begin to dress pulling my worn out jeans on and shrugging into my black tank top and yellow button down shirt. As I'm tying the laces to my black converse my brother walks in carrying my deep blue suit case and black messenger bag. My hands start shaking and I can't tie the knot in my shoes. He sets my stuff down by the door and crouches in front of me and takes control of my shoes laces. He doesn't say anything as he ties them for me.

I think about the time when I was in elementary school, Daitaro was in middle and he always tied my shoes for me because I could never get it right. I snap out of it as he stands up and grabs my bags he looks me at me "Ready?" I simply nod and follow him out to his car sitting in the parking lot. I climb in the passenger seat as he puts my things in the trunk and slides into the driver's seat. He cranks the car and pulls out of the parking lot, I rest my head against the cold glass window and watch as the houses start to disappear and we're driving down a dirt path surrounded by trees. I can't help but gasp as we park in front of the institute-no it looks more like a Victorian style mansion!

I hesitatingly climb out of the car as Daitaro hands me my messenger bag and he grabs my suitcase. As we walk up to the front doors despite the fact that I'm a fifteen year old teenage boy and not a child anymore I grab for my brother's hand. He stops and looks at me for a minute before giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. We walk up to the reception desk still hand in hand while my brother talks to her. After a few minutes a tall woman with short gray hair and a warm smile comes out to greet us. "So this is Daijiro! My! He's so handsome! Look at him!" I nervously shift my weight from foot to foot as she looks me over.

I personally never found myself handsome. Sure I'm tall, but my brother's taller. Sure I'm smart, but again my brother's smarter. I stop shifting and just stand there staring at my feet as I jerk my hand from by brother's and stuff them in the pockets of my pants. Out of the corner of my eyes I see the hurt look on my brother's face before it disappears. I found out the woman's name was Ms. Kimi and that she's the head of the institution. She leads us to a set of double doors and gestures for us to go in as she walks away. Daitaro pushes open the door and we both freeze and then alternate between looking at each other and the scene before us. My brother sets my suitcase down by my feet before running off to talk to Ms. Kimi.

I survey the room. There is a teenage girl with blue hair and a single lip piercing sitting at a table in the corner of the room doing origami while a teenage boy with bright orange hair covering his eyes and lots of facial piercings sits across from her reading something that looks like a file. Sitting in a chair near the TV is another teenage boy with black hair pulled in a ponytail reading a book. Next to him sitting on the couch is a six foot tall boy with blue skin and blue hair watching a show about sharks. On the floor in front of the table is a boy whose back is to me. In another corner of the room a teenage boy with green hair is feeding a Venus flytrap while whispering to it. Also sitting on the floor in front of the table is a pale, red haired teenage boy playing with puppets. Across from him is a blonde girl? Who has half of her hair pulled up in a ponytail and bangs covering the left side of her face. It looks like she's making birds and spiders from the clay sitting beside her. Also sitting on the couch is a buff, tan teenage boy covered in stitches counting money while a pale, purple eyed; silver haired boy waving a three pronged scythe in the air yells profanities at him.

'And this place is supposed the make me "better"?' I move to go find my brother when I trip over my suitcase and land in heap on the ground. Everyone in the room turns to look at me. I stand up keeping my eyes trained on the ground and my hair covering my face as I pick up my suitcase and set it down properly. A few of them smile and the blue skinned guy watching the shark show says to me in a deep voice "Hey! You must be new kid! Welcome to Mentaru Institution!"


	2. Settling In!

**Me: I do not own Naruto/Naruto ****Shippūden****! **

**Settling In**

I continue to stand there watching them through the hair covering my eyes. They all stand up and move to introduce themselves. The orange haired guy with facial piercings says his name is Pein. Then there's Konan, Itachi, Kisame, Tobi, Zetsu, Sasori, Deidara (Who I found out is actually a boy), Kakuzu, and Hidan. I bow after they introduce themselves and the guy named Tobi gets in my face "So what's your name? Tobi wants to know!" I take a couple steps back and start looking up and down the halls for my brother, but I can't find him anywhere. Tobi keeps taking two steps forward for every one step back and soon I'm cornered against the wall. I start freaking out and try to push him away from me.

Soon I'm hyperventilating. My arms are getting warmer and I look down to see my blood staining my yellow shirt and dripping down my hands. My wounds had reopened. Next thing I know Tobi is yanked back by Deidara who scolds Tobi about getting that close to strangers. I feel arms wrap around my shoulders and look up to see my brother's worried face. He leads me to the couch where he rolls up my sleeves and removes the bandages. Konan comes in with disinfectant and new bandages and my brother cleans and dresses my cuts. Standing up my brother tells everyone my name is Daijiro and I haven't talked for over a week. They all nod and go back to what they were doing.

Daitaro leads me to my room and helps me unpack. As I hang up my last shirt I turn around to see my brother sitting on my bed staring at the last picture we had taken as a family before our parents died. No, before I killed them. He carefully places it on the nightstand and stands up crossing the room towards me in quick long strides. He pulls me into a hug and I feel something wet landing on my shoulder. I pull away to see him crying. "I'll call when I get home." He whispers this to me before leaving, shutting the door behind him. I sit on my bed and look at my room. The walls are a beige color and the floor a dark wood just like the furniture. The queen sized bed which has white sheets and a dark blue comforter sits in the right corner of the room. Across from it is the closet. Next to the bed is the nightstand with our family photo sitting on it.

In the left corner of the room is a desk with my messenger bag on top of it. To the right of the desk are a window with white curtains and the left a door leading to the bathroom. I stand up and grabbing a new set of clothes I go to the bathroom to shower. I step out of the restroom wearing black skinny jeans and no shirt to find Konan sitting on my bed looking at my family picture. I run across the room and snatch the picture from her long, pale, hands and hug it tightly to my chest. My dark wet hair clings to my face, covering my eyes, and making it hard to see. Standing up she walks to the door before turning to me "It's time for dinner. I was told to come tell you." With that she left the room closing the door behind her. I sit on the bed and soon lie down. I feel myself begin to fall asleep as I cling to that picture like it's the only thing keeping me alive.

I wake up to loud banging and shouting. I storm across the room, yanking open my door to see what all the noise was about. As I step into the hallway I see Tobi standing between Hidan frozen mid swing with his scythe in hand and Deidara ready to throw his little clay sculptures. I glare at all of them and see shock come over their faces. At this moment I realize my hair isn't in front of my face so my eyes are exposed for the world to see and I have no shirt on. Freaking out I run back into my room and lock the door behind me. I hear them whispering a minute later on the other side of the door.

I walk to my nightstand and pick up my phone to see no missed calls. 'He didn't call me.' A frown worms its way onto my face and I throw the phone on the bed. Walking to my closet I pull out black skinny jeans, and a dark blue hoodie which I pull over my head. After changing into my clothes I go to the bathroom and style my hair so it covers my eyes. Hearing nothing on the other side of the door I look in the hallway to find no one there. With a sigh of relief I begin to wander the institute. I look up from watching my feet as I walk to see Ms. Kimi at the same time she sees me. "Well, glad to see you're up and about dear! But come on you have group therapy."

I follow her through the halls and she leaves me in front of an oak door. Turning the knob I step inside to see everyone sitting in a circle along with a man in a long white doctor's coat. He stands up "Ah! You must be the new guy Daijiro! Please come take a seat!" I nod my head and sit in the empty seat between Itachi and him. "Okay! So let's go clock wise!" He turns to the left and nods at Pein, everyone goes around saying whether they've improved or not. When it gets to me Hansuke which I found out the man's name was tells me to say why I'm here. I shake my head and look at the ground. Out of the corner of my eye I see him frown and he tries to get me to talk for about ten minutes before he gives up and dismisses us.

I leave the room and am walking to my bedroom when someone grabs me pulling me into the lounge with everyone else. I look up and glare at Deidara who is the one who so kindly kidnapped me. He looks at me bewildered "Are you wearing a shirt under your hoodie?" I find this an odd question, but just shake my head. He gets this weird look on his face before he tackles me trying to get my hoodie off. Everyone hearing the loud thud caused by Deidara jumping me, turned around to find me lying on the ground shirtless with Deidara straddling me and my hoodie in his hands. I push him off and slap him. The sound seems to echo and bounce off the walls. Feeling exposed I yank my hoodie from his hands and am pulling it over my head when someone grabs my wrists.

Wincing I try to yank them from Itachi, but he keeps a firm grip on my bleeding arm. Everyone stares as the realization dawns on them as to why I'm here. I silently start to cry and he lets me go. Next thing I know I'm standing in my room with my back to the door and breathing heavily. I realize I ran off when he let me go. I walk to my bathroom and clean and dress my wounds which had been reopened twice in the past two days I've been here. I sit on the side of the tub with my head in my hands when I hear my phone going off in the other room. Running from the bathroom I dive for the phone sitting on my bed. I hastily pick up breathing heavily. "Hello? Is that you Daijiro?" I grunt and he laughs knowing it's me and I'm still not talking.

I sit on the bed and listen to him talk for an hour before he tells me he has to go to school. Before I could actually say anything which I decided I would, he hangs up. Sighing I set the phone down on the bed and decide I'm going to go to the lounge. Pulling my hoodie back on I make my way to the room where everyone else is. I walk in the room and everyone watches me as I pull a book from the bookshelf and sit in a chair to read. After thirty minutes I see someone's feet from over my book. I look up from the feet clad in combat boots, past the black skinny jeans, and the half sleeve black shirt, over the necklace, to Itachi's face. "If it makes you feel better, we're all here for pretty messed up reasons."

I just watch him and after a minute he sits on the arm rest of my chair and keeps talking to me. "Pein is here because he threatened his adoptive parents, Konan because she once made a throwing star out of paper and cut some kids finger off with it, Kisame because his parents didn't want him, Tobi because he has the mentality of a child, Zetsu because he has split personality disorder, Sasori because he's obsessed with puppets and he's tried killing himself, Deidara because he's a pyro maniac and blew up his school, Kakuzu because he didn't have any where else to go and Hidan because he killed a whole city once."

With that he stood up and began walking away "What about you?" I whispered my voice hoarse from non use. He turned around and smiled at me, but his eyes began to mist over "I'm here because I killed my family." With that he patted me on the shoulder "It's easier to settle in, when you know who you're settling in with." After saying that he walked back to his chair and continued reading his book. I watch him read for a few minutes before I bookmark my place and set the book on the table next to the chair. Standing up I leave to go to my room. When I get there I call Daitaro, hoping he'll pick even though he's at college. "Hello?" I freeze. 'What am I doing? Should I actually say something?' I take a deep breath. "Daitaro?" I hear him gasp on the other side of the phone "Daijiro? Oh my god! You talked! You have no idea how much I missed hearing your voice!" He begins sobbing and I start to feel bad for doing this to my brother. He shouldn't get excited and start crying just because I said something.

I talk to my brother for the first time in weeks and I feel nothing but grateful to Itachi. I could get used to living with them. Maybe….just maybe I really can get better by living here.


End file.
